


Tattoo You

by Vicky Ocean (VickyOcean)



Category: Defying Gravity (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-22
Updated: 2011-12-22
Packaged: 2017-10-27 20:48:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/299902
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VickyOcean/pseuds/Vicky%20Ocean
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Zoe and Donner deal with aftermath of the Venus landing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tattoo You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [cimera](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cimera/gifts).



Zoe knew Beta had changed them- changed her. Otherwise how could she have possibly survived the walk on Venus. Beta or Gamma or both had done something to her mind too. She knew that logically, but to be honest she was more than a little embarrassed about her deluded obsession with getting to a baby that wasn’t even real. Seriously, how nuts did she have to be to think that a baby- her baby- was just lying there unprotected on the surface of Venus. She might as well have gone searching for cows on Venus.

In the immediate aftermath of the mission she really didn’t have much of a chance to dwell on all that, because Mintz had her drugged to the gills. She wasn’t aware of much for a long time except that Donner was there with her. He was always there. And that more than the drugs for the pain made her feel at peace.

But later when she was further along in her recovery, she had to spend endless hours in the hyperbaric chamber to speed her healing. Everyone came around periodically to keep her company and she suspected to keep an eye on her to make sure she flip out again. She knew by that point that Jen had told everyone about the abortion. She could tell by the way they tip-toed around certain topics.

She was partly relieved and partly embarrassed and just generally confused by everything about the incident. She thought that she had put that behind her and had moved on, but now she was in just as much turmoil as she had been when she had taken that pill. Not that she exactly regretted it. But it had been a big decision. It was one of those major crossroad points where her life completely diverged down two different paths depending on which choice she made.

She had thought about having kids one day but it had been in the far off future after she became an astronaut and travelled the Solar System. Being just an astronaut’s girl- even if it meant being with Donner and having a family with him- would never have been enough. She knew for certain she would have resented him and their child. And she couldn’t imagine living that way.

She was sitting through yet another one of Mintz’s check-ups. She knew he was amazed and fascinated by the way her burns were healing so quickly and generally without scars. “That’s interesting.”

“What?” she asked.

“Come look in the mirror.”

She followed him to the infirmary’s tiny bathroom, holding her hospital gown tightly around her. Mintz gently pulled the gown away from her back. “Look.”

She looked over her shoulder at her back in the mirror and was shocked at what she saw. Not only were her burns healing to perfect, new skin, her tattoo was filling in where the ink had been burned away with her skin. “Oh, wow. How is that possible?”

“Have no idea.”

“What’s going on?” she heard Donner ask as he walked into the infirmary and toward them.

“Apparently, Beta and Gamma like my tattoo,” Zoe said turning her back so the Donner could see.

She could feel him gently tracing the lines of the eagle. “Well, when we get back to Earth you can tell your artist that alien life forms really dig his work.”

Mintz cleared his throat, “We should probably finish your check-up, Zoe.”

Donner dropped his hand and Zoe felt chilled where the warmth of his fingers had been. “Right. I’ll catch you later, Zoe.”

 

\---

Donner found her later on the observation deck. “Hey, I got something to show you.” He sat down opposite Zoe and started unlacing his boot.

She watched him with amusement. “I’ve seen your feet before and they’re not that impressive.”

“Oh, ha ha.” He stripped off his sock. He held up his leg so she could see the sole of his foot and the tattoo there.

“Is that… a bucket?”

“Yeah.”

“It just showed up?” she asked, grabbing his foot and peering at it more closely. She wouldn’t put anything past the fractal objects at this point.

“No. I got it done the day you left. By the same guy, actually. I think he thought I was coming back to beat him up.”

She dropped his foot. “You got a bucket tattoo,” she said hardly believing it. She knew Donner had no stomach for blood.

“Well, you were moving into your post-eagle phase and I was trying to move into a post-“ He waved his hand around trying to find the appropriate word.

“Post-puking girl phase?”

He huffed a bit in laughter, “No. I just wanted something to remember you by. And, y’know, the omen eagle was already taken.”

“And a bucket made you think of me?”

“Well, yeah. I have a lot of fond memories of you and that bucket necklace.”

Zoe had to laugh. Donner smiled for a minute and then turned serious, “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry. About everything.”

“At the time, I thought you were a lying bastard. But now I know it’s not your fault. Beta changed you.”

“I know, but I feel like I should have known that- I don’t know, that all my parts were fully functional again.”

“Fully functional?”

“Nominal. Whatever. It’s a guy thing. But, seriously, I hate that I put you in that position. That you had to go through what you did. Alone.”

“You were there. By accident, even if you didn’t know it. Jen was there. I made peace with my decision. I don’t regret it. I wanted this so badly. It was all I ever dreamed of my entire life. I did it. I walked on an alien world.”

“Yes, you did.” He smiled at here, pride clearly showing through.

“And I’m glad you were there, Donner. You got me home.”

“We make a pretty damn good team, don’t we?”

“Yes, we do,” she smiled at him. It was true. They did make a good team and she was glad they were up here together.

He smiled at her and leaned down to kiss her. Yes, she was very glad they were in this whole crazy adventure together.


End file.
